Butter-worker



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P. EMBREE.

BUTTER WORKER. No. 492,325. Patented Feb 21, 1893.

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BUTTER WORKER.

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NTTED STATES PATENT Urrrcn.

PEARSON EMBREE, OF WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

BUTTER-WORKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 49 2,325, datedFebruary 21, 1893.

Application filed July 9, 1892. Serial N-4:391508- (N0 model.)

To aZZ whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, PEARSON EMBREE, a citizen of the United States,residing at West Chester, in the county of Chester and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements inButter-Workers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the butter worker for whichLetters Patent No.167,084 were granted to me August 24, 1875.

One object of my present invention is to provide an improved arrangementof gearing through which the rotating table and revolving roller can beconveniently and economically actuated by power, with provision forenabling the roller to yield in a vertical direction according tovariations in the quantity and consistency of the butter, in combinationwith a belt tightening device through which the tension of a chain beltforming part of the said gearing will be automatically regulated tocorresponed with the rise and fall of the roller.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel construction ofshifting lever for effecting a quick engagement and disengagement ofgears to start or stop the machine instantaneously.

Another object of the invention is to so construct and arrangethe gearsthat immediately actuate the rotary table. as to prevent all grinding orclogging in the action of said gears and impart to the table a steadyand uniform rotary movement.

To these ends my invention consists in the peculiar features ofconstruction, and novel combinations of devices in a rotary butter-Worker as hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings illustrating the invention-Figure 1 is a plan ofmy improved butter worker. Fig. 2 is a partly sectional elevation of thesame. Fig. 3 is a side or end elevation of the machine. Fig. 4 is a Viewof the shifting lever. Fig. 5 illustrates a modification in the mannerof supporting the belt tightener. Fig. 6 is a partly sectional elevationof the inner side of a portion of one of the machine frame standards orsupports showing an arrangement of gears through which the rotary tableand revolving roller can be actuated and illustrating an adjustablebearing for the shifting lever and bandpulley whereby the machine can beadjusted for use with either a straight or crossed power belt. Fig.7 isa detail view of an adjustable bearing for the shifting lever.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates two standardssecured to foot pieces 2 and strengthened by braces 3 in any suitable orconvenient manner. These standards 1 support the upper and lower crossbars 4 in which the vertical shaft 5 of the rotary table 6 is journaled.The upper face of the table is made conical or rising toward the centerand is provided around its periphery with a rim 7 which assists informing an annular channel 8 for the butter-milk. It is also provided atthe center with a chamber 9 for collecting any milk that may be thrownto- Ward the center by the action of the table and roller. In the bottomof this chamber 9 is an opening 10 for the escape of milk from saidchamber to a basin ll supported below thetable and provided with anescape pipe 12 through which the milk can pass to a pail or otherreceptacle. The table is also provided with one or moretubes 13 leadingfrom the buttermilk channel 8 to said basin.

Above the rotary table 6 is a eonicalfluted roller 14 mounted upon ashaft 15 which is journaled at its inner end in a hanger 16 that may beadjustably suspended from the upper cross bar 4 in such manner as to becapable of being shifted laterally so as to throw' the shaft 15 out ofline in a position at an angle to, or obliquely to, the radius of therotating bed. The outer end of the roller shaft 15 is journaled in abearing 17 which is capable of vertical movement in a slot 18 formed inone of the machine standards.

In front and rear of the fluted roller 14, at each end, are arrangedbutter-guides 19 attached to hangers 20 that may be adj ustablysuspended by means of set-screws 21 from brackets 22. on the'uppercross-bar 4 in such manner as to permit adj ustmeut of said guides toany desired elevation to prevent trituration of the butter which wouldtend to render it oily and unpalatable. By means of these guides thebutter is kept away from the rim 7 and central chamber 9 when themachine is in operation and is caused to pass properly under the flutedroller.

Between the front butter-guides is secured a clearer 23 which sitsacross the front of the fluted roller 14 for the purpose of clearing thesame of any butter which may adhere thereto.

It may be observed that the construction and arrangement of the rotarytable, the fluted roller and the adjustable butter-guides aresubstantially the same as shown and described in my hereinbeforementioned patent. My present invention comprises, however, a novelcombination of devices in a driving mechanism for imparting the re-,

quired movements to said rotary table and fluted roller, including theprovision of the vertically movable bearing 17 for one end of the rollershaft whereby said fluted roller 14 is made capable of yielding in avertical direction to accommodate itself to variations in the quantityand consistency of the butter under treatment.

My improvements also contemplate means for automatically regulating thetension or tautness of a chain belt, forming part of the drivinggearing, according to changes in the elevation of the fluted roller; ashifting lever through which direct engagement and disengagement of thedriving gears are quickly effected; and a novel arrangement ofanti-friction gearing in connection with the rotary table whereby saidtable will receive a steady and uniform movement without any tendency togrinding or clogging of the gears.

By referring to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen that there is secured tothe under side of the rotary table 6, near its periphery, a circulartoothed rack or gear 24 having an annular flange 25 projectinghorizontally from its outer side at a higher level than the teethcomposing said circular rack. This rack 24 meshes with a spur gear 26 onthe inner end of a short horizontal shaft 27 that is journaled partly ina bearing provided in one of the machine standards and partly in abearing supported by a bracket 28 secured to the lower cross-bar4 of themachine frame. Attached to or formed on the outer face of the gear 26 isan anti-friction disk or roller 29 which is of sufficiently greaterdiameter than the gear 26 to be capable of affording a bearing for theannular flange 25 of the circular rack 24, thereby sustaining the thrustof said rack and consequently preventing any grinding or wedging of thetoothed surfaces of the rack 24 and gear 26 during the operation of themachine. By this manner of gearing the rotary table (5 it will at alltimes receivea steady and uniform movement, when the machine is inoperation, without any tendency to backlash and with no wear on thegears from grinding or excessive friction. On the outer end of the shaft27 is secureda spur gear 30, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, which meshes with apinion 31 on a stud 32 supported byabracket 33 attached to the front ofone of the machine standards. The pinion 31 has attachedthereto, orformed thereon, a sprocket or chain wheel 34 for attachment of a chainbelt or sprocket chain 35 which also engages a larger sprocket or chainwheel 36 that is secured to the shaft 15 of the fluted roller. The chainbelt 35 is automatically tightened by means of a small sprocket wheel 37which, as shown in Fig. 3, may be carried by a swinging arm 38 havingits inner end pivotally attached to the outer side of the machinestandard. In the outer portion of this swinging arm 38 is a longitudinalslot 39 for attachment of a sliding or shifting weight 40 which, bymeans of a thumb-screw 41, can be adjusted and secured in any requiredposition on said swinging arm to regulate the pressure to be'exerten onthe chain belt by the belt tightening sprocket.

Instead of employing the weighted swinging arm 38 the belt tighteningsprocket wheel 37 may be carried by a spring arm or support 42, Fig. 5,that is attached to a convenient part of the machine frame.

It will be seen that by actuating the roller 14 through a chain belt orsprocket gearing provided with automatic belt tightening mechanism, theroller shaft 15 being mounted at one end in a vertically movable hearing17 as hereinbefore described, the said roller will be free to rise andfall with variations in the quantity and hardness or softness of thebutter.

Secured to the machine frame adjacent to the rear of the gear 30 is abracket 43 that affords a bearing for a shifting lever 44, Fig. 4, thelower end of which is provided with a journal 45 fora band pulley 46which carries a spur gear 47 that is adapted to mesh with the spur gear30 through which the rotary table 6 and fluted roller 14 are actuated.By oscillating the shifting lever 44 in the proper direction the gear 47can be quickly engaged with or disengaged from the gear 30 to start orstop the machine. The upper end of the lever 44 maybe held in anydesired position by means of a rack bar 48 that can be adjustablysecured to the upper part of the standard 1 by means of a slot 49 andbolt 50 so that by a suitable adjustment of said bar the lever 44 can besecured in the required position according to the degree of mesh betweenthe gears 30 and 47.

By reference to Fig. 6 it will be seen that if a vertical yield of theroller shaft 15 is not required the bearing 17 of said shaft may be helddown by a bolt 51 passed through an opening 52, Fig. 2, in the machinestandard. In this case the gears 30, 31, 34 and 36, Fig. 3, may bedispensed with and a large spur gear 53 be placed on the shaft 27 tomesh with a still larger spur gear 54 on the roller shaft 15; the gear53 being actuated through the gear 47 carried by the band pulley 46which is supported by the shifting lever 44 as before described, so thatby oscillating the lever 44 the gear 47 may be engaged with ordisengaged from the gear 53 to start or stop the machine.

In order to adapt the machine for the application of power througheither a straight belt or a crossed belt the bracket 43 may be providedwith an adjustable arm 55, Figs. 6 and 7, to which the lever 44 may befulcrumed. The arm 55 may be adj ustably connected with the bracket 43by means of a slot 56 and bolt 57 that will enable the arm 55 to beraised or lowered and secured in the desired position to cause the gear47 to mesh with either the lower gear 53 or the upper gear 54 accordingto whether a straight or crossed belt is employed for transmitting powertothe machine. If a straight belt is used the arm 55 will be lowered topermit the gear 47 to be engaged with the lower gear 53 and if a crossedor twisted belt is applied to the band pulley 46 the arm 55 will beraised to enable the gear 47 to be engaged with the upper gear 54 sothat in either case the intermeshing gears 53 and 54 will be revolved inthe proper direction to effect the required movements of the rotarytable 6 and fluted roller 14.

After the butter to be worked has been spread upon the rotary table 6the machine will be put in operation by throwing the lever 44 into suchposition as to effect a proper engagement of the driving gears. It willbe observed that the machine is so geared as to impart to the rotatingtable 6 a relatively slower motion than that of the fluted butterworkingroller 14 under which the butter is carried by said table. Duringitsrotation the fluted roller 14 works the butter up toward the center ofthe table away from the annular butter-milk channel 8 and forms in thebutter a succession of radial corrugations along which the pressed outbutter-milk readily escapes to the channel 8 and thence through thetubes 13 to the pail or other receptacle placed beneath the machine. Thevertically yielding movement of which the roller 14 is capable is ofgreat advantage in adapting the machine to the economical working ofdifferent grades of butter, with reference to its degree of hardness orsoftness, and by reason of the manner in which the machine is geared itsentire operation is accomplished with smoothness and ease.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination with the rotary tablefor supporting and carrying the butter to be worked, of the flutedconical roller having its shaft supported at its outer end in avertically movable bearing, gearing connecting said table and roller andcomprising chain wheels and a chain belt, and a sprocket-wheelbelttightener engaged with said chain belt, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the rotary table for supporting and carrying thebutter to be worked, the circular rack or gear secured to the under sideof said table and provided with an annular horizontally projectingflange, a horizontal driving shaft having a spur gear meshing with saidrack and provided with an anti-friction disk or roller of greaterdiameter than said gear and mounted on the outer side thereof in bearingcontact with the annular flange on the outside of said circular rack,and a fluted conical roller arranged above the rotary table and havingits shaft geared with the driving shaft of said table, substantially asdescribed. 3. The combination with the rotary table for supporting andcarryingt-he butter to be worked, the butter-working roller arrangedabove the table, and gearing connecting said table and roller, of avertically adjustable shifting lever, a band pulley mounted on saidshifting lever, and a gear carried by said band pulley and adapted to beengaged with the gearing that connects said rotary table and roller,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

PEARSON EMBREE. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

ALBERT I-I. NoRRIs, J. A. RUTHERFORD.

